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Optical Radiation > ... > Sun > Solar UV radiation and global climate change
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Solar UV radiation and global climate change
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UMID 3/2009: "Solar UV radiation and global climate change" (PDF)
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Climate change induced by atmospheric changes could influence the exposure due to natural solar UV over the decades to come. Although the ultraviolet (UV) radiation component accounts for less than six per cent of the total of optical radiation from the sun, it is highly significant in terms of its effects on human health and the living environment.
Near-ground UV radiation is an important environmental parameter
Near-ground solar UV radiation has therefore become an important environmental parameter requiring constant monitoring and assessment with respect to its health impact. Continuous UV monitoring enables the public to estimate their level of current and future UV exposure and also supplies scientists with high-quality data suitable to answer relevant biophysical questions.
Against this background, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, BfS) began continuous monitoring of natural solar UV radiation early on. This is in the interest of public health protection and within the scope of precautionary radiation protection.
Climate change and skin cancer
To what extent will the climate change affect the prevalence of skin cancer? Which precautionary measures may be useful and what will be the likely impacts of changing prevalence of skin cancer? These issues are currently being addressed by the Climaderm network; the national research project entitled “Climaderm – Climate Change and Skin Cancer” aims to provide answers. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection will participate in this research project (in German only).
Read more: Publication in UMID 3/2009
The following article published in the special issue “Climate Change and Health”, “UMID: Umwelt und Mensch – Informationsdienst" (previously entitled UmweltMedizinischer InformationsDienst) 3/2009 (December 2009) is available for download (PDF, 1,2 MB): "Solar UV Radiation and Global Climate Change".
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